Expanding Replay

by conrad on May 9, 2010 11:01 AM CDT

I'd have to say that I agree with people who say that it's best to get the play right, so I'm glad that baseball has added replay.

It does present a bit of a problem though, because if you allow if for every single play then games could last for hours upon hours. So baseball has decided to limit the types of plays that they will allow it on. I think putting limits on it is probably the best idea, but you never know what play is going to turn a game around.

So why not treat replay the same way the they treat timeouts in other sports? Allow each team a specified number of appeals per game. Obviously managers would have to be somewhat judicious in the way that they use them, but managing has been evolving since the creation of the game, that would just be another step, right?

What do you think, is that the right way to use replay?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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I guess you haven't been around long.

That’s exactly what I’ve been saying. Two challenges per manager per game. In most games they’d never get used. Use them for everything except balls & strikes (i.e. HR — like now — also fair/foul, safe/out, trap plays, etc).

Get it done. Get the calls right.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 9, 2010 11:24 AM CDT reply actions

That makes perfect sense

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on May 10, 2010 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions

This discussion has raged on and off again on BCB

and I have a different viewpoint than most when it comes to a manager “throwing the red flag” as they do in the NFL. In the NFL, if you call for a replay and you are wrong, it costs you a time out.

In baseball, there really isn’t an equitable way to penalize a team for being incorrect on replay they call from the bench. So I say, each team gets one replay, and you better make it a good one. Two seems like too many. Some games, I’ll bet replay could be used 10 times and then some nary a one.

So, if each manager replays one call each, I don’t think that it would drag the game down too much. Like we all say, get the play right.

Yes, human umpiring/officiating is a part of any game in any sport and mistakes are made. I give all officials a lot of credit for doing what they do and get 99.9% of them right. But, there are times when they flat out blow a call and this way a manager has some recourse, especially if it’s a game-changing play.

I would love to have an umpire in the booth to replay every close call and call down if there was a blatant error, but that would make for 4 hour ballgames, and nobody wants that.

I say, givem’ one each and see what happens.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on May 10, 2010 6:28 AM CDT reply actions

Whether one or two...

… I think we agree, it’s time to get the calls right. Period. Especially in the playoffs.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 10, 2010 6:37 AM CDT up reply actions

Yes, especially the playoffs.

Seems the umpiring has been even worse in the post season.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on May 10, 2010 6:39 AM CDT up reply actions

Two seems fine -- it would add to the strategry

You could tweak it for the following:

Any replay after the 7th inning does not require a challenge IF the call would involve scoring the tying or go-ahead run or putting the tying or go-ahead run on base, to the plate or in the on-deck circle.

In other words, no replay in an 11-0 game in the 8th inning because, well, who cares?

Managers may enter the field of play only after the challenge flag is thrown and only after the umpire motions them out to discuss what exactly is being challenged. Any manager coming out to argue a call should be thrown out before they can cross the foul line and will be suspended for 5 days.

Players will be given much less leeway to argue calls. Players should be instructed to instead ask their managers to challenge the play.

The following plays will be allowed to be reviewed:

Home runs — over the fence or not
Fair/foul
Catches/traps in the outfield
Any tag play
Hit batsmen

If a batter or runner is originally ruled out on a tag play on the bases and replay overturns the call, he is awarded that base only.

If a batter is ruled out on a flyout and replay overturns the call, it will be considered a single and all runners advance one base.

If a batter is ruled safe on a flyout and replay overturns the call, runners will be allowed to return to their original bases.

If a batter is ruled to have been hit and replay overturns the call, the pitch is considered a ball.

If a fly ball that lands beyond the infield is ruled to have been foul and replay overturns the call, the batter is awarded a ground rule double and all runners advance two bases. If it is a ground ball that is ruled foul, or a fly ball that does not clear the infield, the batter is awarded a single and all runners advance one base.

Whoomp there it is.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 10, 2010 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions

That's actually a pretty good list and easy to follow.

I would add one play to your list — whether a runner beats the throw to a base at which he would have been forced (particularly close plays at first base).

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 10, 2010 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought it was covered under the baserunning

Basically, he gets the base he should have gotten if he was called safe. There is one I forgot:

Whether the runner left too early after a flyball out. If replay rules a runner out, then he is out, BUT other runners (the ones the fielders didn’t throw to) are safe, so long as they didn’t leave too early.

Where this gets tricky is if the runner on third left at the right time, but the runner on second didn’t. Then we’d have to get into the whole, “Which came first, the run or the out” nonsense. Hopefully, this doesn’t happen more than once or twice a season.

I left out “neighborhood plays” because I don’t have a real problem with umpires exercising a little bit of discretion there. Neighborhood plays at 2nd are mainly safety issues and so long each team gets the same break, I’m cool.

Also, I should have added that replay is allowed for those couple of times every season when someone loses track of the outs or the count.

Here is the specific list of NOT reveiwable:

Balls and strikes
Balks
Check swings
Interference on basepaths
Doctoring the ball or bat

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 10, 2010 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions

If technology gives you the chance to correct an officialting mistake

it makes no sense not to use it. Giving each manager two per game is justified. It would not seriously impact the flow of the game.

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on May 10, 2010 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions